New Des Moines bridge might not have arches

DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines should recreate its trademark arches when rebuilding a well-known downtown bridge, say some City Council members, despite others’ arguments that it would be too expensive.

Councilwoman Christine Hensley said the arches on the Grand Avenue bridge are an iconic symbol of the city, and it’s critical that they’re reflected in the design for the new, $7.2 million structure. Work is expected to begin in the summer of 2015 and take about a year to complete.

“It’s part of our logo, and it’s critical that we retain those arches,” she said. “It would be a mistake to change that.”

The nearly century-old bridge spans the Des Moines River. It was built in 1916 and rehabilitated in 1967, The Des Moines Register reported. It carries about 8,200 vehicles each day, according to the state Department of Transportation.

Deputy City Engineer Pam Cooksey said replicating the architecture of the existing bridge will likely be too expensive. She also said that style of architecture doesn’t meet state transportation design standards.

“That type of construction was done 100 years ago,” she told the newspaper. “While there was some equipment, most of it was labor. Now we’re in a world where most of the hard work is done by equipment. There aren’t hundreds of workers; it’s much less.”

City officials decided to replace the bridge because it would cost as much to repair it. A new structure will also have a longer life span.